Goodnight Olive, the 2022 female sprint champion, scored her seventh consecutive victory at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday in her seasonal debut, winning the Grade 1 Madison Stakes by about one length under Irad Ortiz Jr.
Trained by Chad Brown for First Row Partners and Team Hanley, the 5-year-old mare by Ghostzapper out of the Smart Strike mare, Salty Strike, came from just off the pace to defeat G2 Inside Information winner Maryquitecontrary, with Society third and Cocktail Moments fourth in the field of older fillies and mares.
Goodnight Olive covered seven furlongs in 1:23.12 on a fast main track, chasing fractions of :22.53, :45.93 and 1:10.51. She paid $2.74 as the 1-4 favorite.
Ortiz allowed Goodnight Olive to settle behind Society and Yuugiri as they dueled in the long run down the backstretch. Goodnight Olive was taken three wide on the far turn, quickly passing the top pair, drifted in at the furlong pole, then drifted out under left-handed urging as Maryquitecontrary came running late.
The runner-up raced well behind the top trio in the early going, swung widest of all on the turn, closed well but could not catch the champion mare.
Goodnight Olive, bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, was a $170,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale purchase from the consignment of Summerfield. She finished second in her March 2021 debut, then won every race since, including two consecutive G1 races last year – the Ballerina Handicap at Saratoga and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
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